Package unloading device



' Set. 9, E471 R, M. FREEMANl 254695293 PACKAGE UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1942 .6 sneets-sheat 1 Sept. 9, 194?. R. M. FREEMAN PACKAGE UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Aug. '1, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 OPTIONAL LOADING POINTS INVENTOR RMFREEMAN Sept- 9,1941 R. M. FREEMAN 2,426,993

PACKAGE UNLOADING DEVICE Filedug. 1. 194'2 6 sheets-sheet s INVENToR R M E ATTORI@ R. M. FREEMAN PACKAGE UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Aug. l, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 9, 1947. R. M.`FREEMAN *A I PACKAGE UNLOADING DEVICE e sheets-sheet s Filed Aug. l, 1942 3 e mm .im n e, @O v. mum in m N A 4. 3f b9 w n 9m. b 1| -.WE \\\m\- M E Rl mor--- 1;@ N9 v El. m qu T J .Wb- WR. M z .N F .7/ 6 No P f. f N EJ ,ww M. Q R w N I v 2 mw m w M 2 m ,M e 1 z Nw 1. a R M aw h .F m u NN M. U M m m P. L vm m ii A Sr.: 1 7. R NN A a -m n Sept. 9, 1947.

Patented Sept. 9,1947 o (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to improvements in unloading apparatuses, a specialized but not limited adaptation thereof being to meet the requirements of a high-speed cartridge belting machine such as disclosed in the copending application for patent for Rotary belt loading machine, led by R. M Freeman on March 20, 1942, Ser. No. 435,523, now Patent No. 2,413,316, Persons acquainted with the branch of ordnance in which said machine occurs, know that its purpose is to mechanically force succeeding cartridges into the knuckles of a loosely assembled chain of links thereby to connect the latter.

The result of that operationis to construct a belt of cartridges which, in its belt form, is fed into a machine gun for the iiring of the cartridges. The rapidity with which the iiring is accomplished makes it virtually necessary to employ a machine to belt the cartridges quickly enough to keep the machine gun supplied. In turn, the rapidity of operation of thebelting machine makes it impracticable to deliver the links to the belting machine solely by hand, for which reason the instant machine has been devised.

While the machine described herein is entitled i,

package unloading device, said title should be qualified because in one of its operational aspects it acts solely as a magazine. This aspect occurs when the chutes are used as receptacles into which the links arerdisoharged by hand from the original cartons. As each carton is thusemptied it is thrown aside. The chutes then act as carriers of the linksy up to the delivery point, and the machine can be kept filled to its capacity as a magazine in a very effective way because a number of persons can be stationed around it to act as loaders, The machine is a magazine in any event, but whenthe originally full link cartons are hung upon it according to a second operational vaspect it then becomes substantiallya package unloading device.

In explanation of the function of said machine, current practice is to put up belt links in cartons. Each carton contains ten links which are loosely coupled, that is to say, are merely tted together loosely in the carton in readiness for assemblage .Lio

to provide a machine which will quickly and systematically deliver succeeding multiplesv of belt links to the in-feed conveyor of a belting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine by means of Vwhich the gravitational unloading of belt links, usually in multiples of ten, in quick succession is assisted by mechanical operation to place the links onto a moving conveyor functioning as the in-feed for the cartridge belting machine.

Another object; of the invention is to provide a machine by means of which belt links, usually in groups of ten, are unloaded onto a moving run ofthe foregoing in-feed conveyor, either from substantially upright chutes into which the links are loaded by hand from the original cartons or directly from said cartons which, for the latter purpose, are hung substantially uprightly on the machine in potential discharging positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which is instantly convertible into a. magazine-of either one of two types of link deliveries; rst, by the chute method according to which the links are dumped by hand from the cartons into chutes which thereupon serve as substitutes for the cartons; or, second, by the original carton method accordingto which said cartons are hung in substantially upright positions in the machine and serve as their own carriers of the links up to the delivery point.'

Another object of the invention ist@ provide a link feedingmachine for a cartridge belt loader, the principle of said machine being' to transport succeeding multiples of links in substantially upright positions with a Vstep motion to a delivery point.

Still :further objects, advantages, and improvements Vwill be apparent from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the package unloading machine,showing the chutes in position for containing the links and transporting them to the delivery point.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the mode of filling the chutes from the original cartons.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine, parts being broken away,

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional View taken on the line ll-.ll of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a detail View partially in section and elevation, illustrating the raking ringer action.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken on I 3 the line 6 6 of Fig. 4, only a few of the link chutes being shown.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the ejector action when the machine is converted to original car-ton use.

Figure -fis -a verticalsectional .View ,taken on the 1ine-$8`8fo`f Figure 9 is a detail plan and horizontal sectional view illustrating the cam and stud arrangement from which the step motion of the turret is derived.

Figure 10 is a cross sectional .view .takenfsubstantially on the line ||||6 of Fig. 7, again illustrating the carton ejector action.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view.takenon the line of Fig. 4.

Figure 12 is a detail perspectivewiewlotajportion of the turret illustrating {it-s fconversion to carrying the original cartons.

...Figure =2k3 :isf-a detailssectionalsviewsillustrating .the cartonhook-:arid:-link` chute.

in carryingoutthefinventionmrovision is ine/de .of 1a .turretgenerallydesignated .f |10, `rvvhiehseorniprises=the .carrier `A-for the. belt :links H @whether contained iby theriannulus tot' chutes 2, :forming :parts .of the .turret: .or econtained .by the-.or iginal .carton-s t |3 Fig. .12) Wlazemthenartons i arefhungin .plaee .upon the 1 turret \.,(Fig. .112) .The .carrierzis frusto-conical in shape (Fig. 4) therebyfenabling theeemploymentz of i the foreeaof). gravitytasf-.fagpar- :tialvaid :infkeepingrthe chutes l |12 or' the (cartons 1|.3in .place. {Sa-id rfrusto-conical. form :is .derived .from :making-.the -top @plate -.IA .of ,a `smaller` di- `.arr-ietral sizethanztherbottom plate rt5. V--When the properly-formedfperipheral fWall ii 6.=isV applied yto the :edges iofesaid f plates, -fthe-.result 1 is aturret vwithoa down-ward and outward fslope.

The-.upperaand :lowerfmarg-ins l'| .fand .I8 s of the turretrwallft ,projectab ove andabelow thezrespec- `titte top Pand `:bottom @.plates. :Any Welleknown .meanszmayrbe.usednto-:secureathekwali Itatosaid platesgeaz eonvenientrmode being to stampthevwall :fasi atr t9 i (Figs Saand flo) :at an: appropriatesnumbei nf splaoes, ethe :resulting lugs Yi2ll ibeingabent inwardly -rand .have they plates ;|-.4, f. t5 welded for :riveted thereto. The :lower :margin .4x8 extends colosetottheL-,ared trim 2| of 1a :ibase plate .-22 .fbut fdoes :not touch :so asnto .vavoidvinterering with the step motion of theturret.

Said i base .plateJZ-Ziissecured at ftitolv the nange .124 lof the tubuiar xterminal ,125 tof za .bracket ``26. This ubraeketnis ibolteil .at 21 to a housing :28. Saidihousingncludeszam upright gplate 29 .which .isveduippedwithi ,holes (Fig. rl) :through which'it is adapted to be bolted to the foregoing cartridge .beltingimachine fnot fshown'l.. The :bracket 26 .whichlrisithus solidly; mounted provides .fa -;rm #support :at :its flange 24 ffor :the `supporting'- cup 30 of fa vertical :.thrust ibearing 3| the .movable Arace 52 of\whieh..is attached (as by welding) to .thebottom 1I late.|.5. The turretJ .thusturns .upontheballs (orrollers) 3|. '..Asleeve which is pendant from the cup.',36 hasa flange-4 .at which the .cup is .secured'to'the'ange24- for the turret. The sleeve 4| spaces the top and bottom plates I4, I5, desirably being secured to each in any appropriate manner.

Said sleeve 4| includes a top ange 42 which aids in supporting a. radial thrust bearing 43 and reinforces.the.top.plate-wl1erethe case 44 of the outer racevisfmounted. .-:AnieXtensionJiof the stern 35 above the bearing 43 provides the mount .ifor an arm 46. This arm is secured rigidly to said extension from which it projects horizontally -(Fig. i7) su-iiciently far out to station its upright .and.downwardlyprojecting terminal 41 more or 'less in' line with' but spaced above the upper turret Amargin H.

.A cam 48 (Fig-s. 7 and 10) is carried by the free bottom extremity of the terminal 41. This cam `-`is.oornposedof fa -strip of material of sufficient ."rigiditytodiislodge the paper cartons I3 from the hoo-ks 49 on which they are impaled (Fig. l2) aecordingto..the.foregoingfsecond method. Said `cam is .anchored v.to .the terminal .whence it extends rwith va compound rcurvature and a radial twist.(Fighlhoppositely to thedirection of. turningof thetturret. .Thus the.cam is .sopositioned as l tostrip. oil -tl-ie empty .paper .cartons as .they are .movedaround to the .discharging position.

.separators 56 as seen.in.detail -in.iFig. vl2.are .distributed equallyaround .the turret |6 to de- .marcatespaces '5 :for either the .cartons '.|.3 .or the .chutes L [2. .Thehooks .49 v.are .centered between the separators. One of. the. purposesoi tithe latter is to con'ne theeartons and.therebyfkeep them `from.eanting-.oi to one-side .under the influence .ofithe dragging-action. -Each chute'. ilcomprises a ,cross-sectionally rectangulantube of. metaL. one vwall oi-.\\fhich.is. slotted. at .52 longitudinally from end .to -end Ll'he :slotted -wallsiace outwardly .when..thechutes.are .in vuse,.as.in ligs. l and .for example, and .face 4inwardly .(Figj`7) when the chutes are -erectedtoassume idle positions. v.The endsnffeach` chute-ar.e.open, ,that fend which .becomes -t1'ie top ,.or. entrance iwhenaid Vchute is in fuse, .being ,dared .forwardly .at .53 .(Fig. 2) .to ifacilitate .the -introduction .of .a V,group of -the .linkslL The hook-1449. (momentarily describing only. one) extends from one leatandknuckle of .aliinge 54 .and .is.,struck .onen are, .the .center .of Which occurs .onQthe agisof the hinge r.pin .55. `The two .leaves I of =the hinge respectively V.are secured to l.the backwall rif-.the chute and totheupper :turret margin l|`| (Fig. 113).. Therchute is thus d.adaptedto be ,swung into seither. of its intended :positions .When .in-use asin Fig. 1.the back of the .chute .rests against ,the Asloping turret YWall .(Fig..4) vbetween apair of theseparatorsj. .It thencovers a hole :56 .in the rupper margin from .which .the .hook A9 iis .retracted by virtue xoi .the ,position .ofthechute` (Figs. .Il4 and .1-1)

"When swung to its idle .position (Figs. .7, 12 .and .13) @the ychiite .L2 .assumes-an .inward pitch which. is, maintained .by-the ibindingof'the Ihook .-shankf'l (Fig.:13) r.against one. of-the. hinge leaves. ...Any `.equivalent -Asupport for the =chute :may -be asi-.amiss eirherhouowas shownrEig/e) or 5 `used.l: i1t ineaIiy-.CasefthefhGO-k 49 -Mfould ythen solid, 'is rigidly secured to the terminal '25 in which it fits, bye. set screw 36. In the instance of thehollow stem, usei-s'ma'de `of vathreaded stud 3'|.to take one or two v.binding nuts' 38,1the

plug 39 ofthe stud -being sweatediin' placein'the stem. The nutsexert clampingpressurepnthe closure portion 4'40.o`f the'telminal`25. "A-'sleeve 4| is rotatably mounted .'on the Aupperfportion `of 4.extend .through zthe..hole`.5.6 in )position Yto {ha've .the paper icarton impaledrthereon. 'I-hechute thereforeaservesthe doublerpurposeofrcontaining the :belt .linrks *tl :when swung 'down zupon y.the turret ancl'of suspending '1a-paper carton 5|3'by means fitshookf when. swung up.

-Atthis point it is desiredto 'explain 'the'vforegoin'goptional-user of the "chute and carton. 'In

4the stem 35 which stemthus' becomes `thealbor k75 rnanyinstances theaceeptable 'performance -will be to tear oif the appropriately marked flap 58 as shown in Fig. 2, stand the torn end 5% of the carton upon the rim 2| (Fig. 12) and impale the top-part of the carton on the hook 49 by a firm stroke or push. Since the leverage of the hook i9 is very short as compared with the length of the chute I 2, it follows that the point of the hook will puncture the carton paper before sufficient pressure can be exerted on it to swing the substantially erect chute outwardly.

On some occasions, although such are not frequent, the paper cartons will become damp so that their impalement upon the hooks will not be as secure as desired. In such a case the metal chutes i2 will be used in substitution. They are then swung down as seen in Fig. 1. By carefully gauging the position in which the carton i3 is held in one hand in reference to the top of the chute (Fig. 2) and then tearing oif the flap 58 the link contents can be discharged very quickly.

In fact this mode of use of the machine is preferred to the carton method since it is somewhat faster.

Driving power for the unloading machine is obtained from the cartridge belting machine through a V-belt Si?. The right extremity of said belt extends under the turret i@ which latter therefore perimetrically intersects the vertical plane of the top run of the conveyor. The primary purpose of this belt is that of an out-feed conveyor for the belt links H (Figs. 1 and 4) from the turret and an in-feed conveyor for said links to the cartridge belting machine. A shaft El, which serves as the main shaft in so far as the unloading machine is concerned, is journaled in bearings 52 (Fig. 6) mounted on the housing 2t. This shaft carries a pulley 63 around which one bight of the belt E@ is trained, the other bight of said belt (Fig. 1) being trained around a matching pulley t4. The pulley 54 is carried by a shaft 65 which is supported in any appropriate way, for example by bearings (notl shown) forming parts of the cartridge belting machine.

A consideration to be borne in mind is that the in-feed conveyor 6l) is operated at a speed in excess of the link requirements of the belting machine. In other words, the belt Gil tends tofeed the links to the belting machine faster than they can be coupled into belt form. The result is that the links are constantly kept up to their work and, moreover, are pushed well into each other so as to avoid lack of registration of the link knuckles. The links are transported by the upper run of the belt. Said run is confined by a guide E6 which is but slightly wider than the belt, said guide being broadened at 6l to accommodate the row of links. The broadened portion of the guide is longitudinally slotted at 68 on top (Figs. 1 and 3) to permit inspection of the row of links and to permit the insertion of a probe in the remote event of a clogging of the passageway.

The guide @E is Xedly mounted on a shelf 69. This shelf is bracketed off from the housing 28 and includes a sloping portion 'lil to which the base 'il of a twin-armed bracket 12 is secured. The arms of said bracket support a drive shaft 13, a companion shaft 14 and the shaft 15 of an idle sprocket 16. The common plane of the axes of the shafts 73 and 'i4 (line A, Fig. 4) is parallel to the contiguous sloping wall |23 of the turret, thereby establishing the parallelism of the inner ru-n 18 of the chain 'H with said wall.

Said chain is applied to sprockets 19 and 80 on the respective shafts 'i3 and M, and to the idler i. The shaft 15 of the latter is adjustable in slots in the arms of the bracket 'l2 so as to prevent any appreciable slack in the run 'F8 of the chain Tl. The run 'i8 is thus kept taut enough to enable successive chutes l2 to move into position thereunder (Figs. 3 and 4) without catching either at the edges of the chain or chutes. This position then constitutes the delivery position of each successive chute, and it is during the pause of the turret at this time that the row of links Il contained by the chute is raked out.

For this purpose one of the links of the chain 'il is provided with a finger BI (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) which is registrable with the slot 52 of the chute l2 then in the delivery position. This nger enters the slot at the top (Fig. 4) and in moving downwardly in the chute rakes out the ro-w of links (Fig. 5) onto the belt Si). The rows of links in the successive chutes remain in place in the chutes up to the delivery point, because they ride the rim 2l of the base plate 22 up to said point whereat the rim is perimetrically recessed at @t to provide a terminal 82a (Fig. 6) and a passageway for the link rows. Said recess is appro-Ximately in extent (Fig. 6) in order to provide ample latitude for the ejecting operation in the event the cartons i3 are run through the machine.

In operating the machine according to either the carton or chute method the lowermost link of each row is dragged along the rim 2l until the` beginning of the recess 82 is reached. Thereupon the row drops through the recess and is deflected toward the belt 50 by a curved shield 83. This shield is secured to the rim 2l (Figs. 4 and 5) and extends over the belt.

The timing of the operation of the unloading machine is such that the step-motions of the turret are successively deferred until the nnger iii and the last link of the departing row leave the respective slot `52 and chute I2. In other words, the contact of the raking finger with the top of succeeding link rows is synchronized with the pauses between the step-motions of the turret. Said step-motion is produced by the arrangement seen in Fig. 9, consisting of a cam 84 and studs 85. The cam is carried by a shaft 85 which is journaled in a yoke -l upstanding from the bracket 26. Said shaft underlies the bottom plate l5 from the underside of which the studs 85 project in an annular series to successively meet the cam. The shaft is located tangentially of the stud annulus.

Said cam is peripherally grooved at 88 (Fig. 9). The length of the groove is almost equal to the circumferential distance of the. cam and constitutes the well in which each stud is held for the duration of nearly a complete revolution of the cam. The latter has a stud entrance 89 and a stud eXit 9D, parallel to each other and correspondingly pitched with reference to the axis of the shaft 85. The distance between the confronting faces of the studs is substantially equal to the thickness of the cam block sides which dene the radial walls of the groove (Figs. 3, 6 and 1l) there being necessary tolerances to insure smooth working.

Driving power for the cam shaft 86 is derived from a countershaft 9| (Fig. 8). For this purpose the respective shafts have sprockets t2 and @E which are connected by a chain 91S. An idler sprocket 95 supports one run of the chain against excess slack by virtue of the adjustabliity of said idler provided at 9B for its carrier arm 97. Said arm is .pivotedfat LEB-to the Ehousing 2'8 whencev `it` extends throughzaslot 39 (Figs. 6 and 11). vThe idler sprocket. 'sha'ft bearing fm 'at the end of this arm has play a slot HH in -one side wall of a chain guard til-2. The side Walls'of this guard extend upward through an opening |133 in the base plate 212' where they are surmounted by'twin bearings i104 by which .the cam shaft 3S is 'additionally supported.

Bearings MI secured tothe housing 28 support the Acountersllaft lll. VOne vend of this `shaft extends a distance outside of the housing 28 (Fig. 11) where it carries va sprocket 106. A chain fill? runs over this Ysprocket vas Well as other sprockets Hi8, "09 and H0 (Fig. 28),the latter of which is carried by the main shaft *6I `Said shaft con-stitutes the driver of the sprocket and chain system of the unloading machine, the driving power being traced to the raking chain Tl by way of its drive shaft 'i3 which carries the sprocket 199. An arm IH supports the outer end of the sha-it E3 and carries the `idler f6.8. It also provides a partial :guard for the chain, -l-f'l. Its ybase l2 'is mounted on the housing Z8, for the securement to which the clampand pivotbolts 96, 980i the arm 97 assist.

The operation from the above description will be readily understood. The foregoing so-called chute method is generally preferred because it lends itself to a prevailing tendency -on the part of the operators to pic-k up 'a carton, tear ol the proper flap and dump the link contents into the mouth of the chute. For this purpose all of the chutes t2 are swung down on their hinges 54 into resting positions against the outwardly sloping wall I6 of .the turret and 'between the separators 5B (Figs. l, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11). The mouths 'of the chutes are thus readily accessible 4to the three (more or less) loaders who stand at. conveniently distributed points as indicatedin Fig. 3.

There is a preferredv way in which the links Il `are packed. The central knuckles H3 should be directed toward that end of the carton marked Open this end (Fig. '2) and the constricted knuckles I i4 should .lie to the left when facing the slot 'H5 which goes down the front side of the carton. This mode vof packaging the links meets the requirement of the foregoing belt loading machine in so far as Atheir position is concerned.

The turret i0 turns `with a step motion (arrows B, Fig. 1) in the `clockwise direction, looking down. As it does it Adrags the rows of 'upended links along the ilared rim `2| of the base plate 22 until the recess 82 (Fig. 46) vis reached. Thereupon each row drops 'ofi of the terminal 82a and onto the trailing end of the preceding link row to add that much to the chain (Fig. 4). The raking linger '8| periodically enters succeeding chutes from the top 'of the slot 52, making contact with the top link to aid gravity in moving the row down and out.

An accurate spacing of the studs "85 (Fig. 6) which project from the underside of the turret bottom plate t5, insures the stopping of each chute Vl2 at the identical delivery point. When thev cam 84 is not active in advancing the turret one step (Fig. 9), it serves as a positive stop to hold the turret in the discharging position. This is readily understandable from Figs. 3 and 6, each of which shows a pair of the studs riding the opposite flat races ofthe cam block while the concentric part A3-8 of the groove is about to advance upon a. stud-situated medially of the pair .mentioned .In time the medially situa-ted stud is met by the pitched exit Si) of the groove which thereupon exercises its cam action upon said stud and `causes Vthe next step of the turret.

For the purpose oi unloading links directly from their cartons, the chutes I2 are swung upward and backward (Figs. A12. and 13), leaving the spaces el between the separators 5d clear for the cartons i3. The hooks 49 are projected through the holes 56 and beyond the face of the Wall i6 when the chutes are swung as stated. The paper cartons are impaled upon these hooks to insure holding them in place while the bottom ones lof their link contents are dragged along the rim 2i. One ilap of each carton is torn oi in the same manner pointed out with respect to Fig. 2.

Dumping of the links occurs at the delivery point of the recess d2 (Fig. 6) as before, the finger '8l performing its vraking action down the slot H5. But since the cartons remain impaled upon the hooks All! 'after they are emptied, use is made of the cani i8 (Fig. l0) to eject said cartons. The principal action is to dislodge the cartons from the hooks (arrow C, Fig. '7) merely by having the tops of the cartons override the Cam (i8. Since this occurs within the space of the recess t2 the carton is free to fall from its dislodged position D to its falling position E whence it drops either onto the rloor or into a receptacle.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred examples thereof which give satisfactory results, 'it will be understood by those skilled inthe art to Awhich the invention pertains, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modications lmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is my intention, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications.

The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government oi the United States ci America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desi-red to be vse cured by Letters Patent of the VUnited States is:

l. A conveyor, an annular support located over the conveyor and having a perimetric recess defining a terminal, said terminal being located contiguously to a movable portion of the conveyor, a turnable magazine having an annulus of evenly spaced article-containing means, said means having open discharge ends situated above said support and spaced closely therefrom, means for operating the magazine with a uniform stepmotion, thereby pushing the articles around the annulus and across said terminal, and raking means acting in time With the arrival of succeeding articles at said recess to rake them through the 'recess and onto the conveyor.

2. A conveyor, an annular support located over the conveyor and having a perimetric recess dci'lning a terminal, said terminal being located contiguously to a movable portion of the conveyor, a turnable magazine having an annulus of evenly spaced article-containing means, said means having open discharge ends situated above said support' and spaced closely therefrom, means for operating the magazine with a uniform step-motion, thereby pushing the articles around .the annulus and across said terminal, and raking means .synchronized withv the pauses between the step-motions of the magazine to makeraking contact with each article while traversing the recess, thereby to insure its union with preceding articles on the conveyor.

3. An annulus oi evenly spaced containers of articles adapted to be assembled in chain form, a conveyor having a run partially underlying one place at said annulus and being continuously movable in a direction away from said place, means moving the annulus in uniformly timed steps to deposit the articles of succeeding containers upon said conveyor run to progressively lengthen the chain, and continuously moving raker means having at least one linger exercising recurrently continuous pushes upon succeeding articles as deposited.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a turret, conveyor means extending on from contiguity with said turret, means for supporting the turret above the conveyor means a portion of said conveyor means constituting a delivery point for said turret, means for coniining rows of links, means for supporting said rows of links gravitationally in upended formation, said supporting means having discharge means in re.,- istration with said delivery point, means for turning the turret with a step-motion to transport said rows of links toward said discharge means, and

raker means for exerting downward pressure upon the upper end of each upended row of links to assist gravity in moving the links through the discharge means upon the conveyor.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a conveyor having a movable run for supplying a cartridge belting machine with links, a link magazine having a delivery point situated above the movable run of said conveyor, suspension means from which open bottom-ended original cartons of belt links are suspendible in the magazine, supporting means on which the links exposed at the open. bottoms of the cartons bear, said supporting means extending up to but stopping short of said delivery point, and means to move the magazine so as to drag the links along the supporting means toward said delivery point.

6. In a machine of the character described, a turnable turret, a stationary rim located marginally of and beneath the turret and having a discharge opening, and hooks on the turret for suspending open bottom-ended original cartons of belt links in positions above the rim to support the exposed bottom links in dragging contact with the rim toward said opening.

7. In a machine of the character described, a turnable turret, a stationary rim located marginally of and beneath the turret and having a discharge opening, hooks on the turret for suspending open bottom-ended original cartons of belt links in positions above the rim to support the eX- posed bottom links in dragging contact with the rim toward said opening, and separators embodied in the turret, having the hooks substantially centered therebetween said separators serving to coniine the cartons against lateral movement.

8. In a machine of the character described, a turnable turret a stationary rim located marginally of and beneath the turret, hooks on the turret for suspending open bottom-ended original cartons of belt links in positions above the rim to support the exposed bottom links in dragging contact with the rim, separators embodied in the turret, having the hooks situated therebetween, and turnable means by which said hooks are carried, said turnable means comprising chutes swingable to retract the hooks and assume positions between the separators in substitution for the hooks.

9. A turnable turret, a continuously operable conveyor having a run underlying the turret, a stationary rim located marginally of the turret between the turret and conveyor, said rim having a recess in registration with said run, hooks on the turret for suspending open bottom-ended cartons upon the turret, said cartons having contents gravitating out of the open ends onto the rim, means to move the turret, thereby to advance the cartons and drag the contents toward said recess, and means for displacing the cartons from the hooks after being emptied of the contents at the recess.

10. A turret having a wall with a hole, a chute hinged to the Wall adjacent to the hole, and a hook carried by the chute, being registrable with the hole and moving through it as the chute is swung on its hinge.

ROBERT M. FREEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 7,188 Broadwell June 27, 1876 61,456 Powers Jan. 22, 1867 688,874 McCullough Deo. 17, 1901 1,100,374 Hughes June 16, 1914 1,266,172 Stake May 14, 1918 1,575,909 Giselson Mar, 10, 1924 1,676,911 McDavitt July 10, 1928 1,722,942 Peterson July 30, 1929 1,759,506 I-Iauk May 20, 1930 1,846,866 Hauk Feb. 23, 1932 1,922,425 Evans Aug. 15, 1933 1,953,818 Paridon Apr. 3, 1934 1,965,904 Mitchell July 10, 1934 2,191,227 Dostal Feb. 20, 1940 v2,203,287 Smith June 4, 1940 2,413,316 Freeman Dec, 31, 1946 

